164,000 more pounds of ground turkey recalled in salmonella outbreak

More than 164,000 pounds of raw ground turkey have been recalled amid an ongoing salmonella outbreak that has now sickened 216 people, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Friday.

Jennie-O Turkey Store Sales, Inc. is recalling ground turkey packaged in 1, 2.5 and 3 pound containers. The affected products are labeled as ground turkey, taco seasoned ground turkey, Italian seasoned ground turkey and Stater Bros. all natural ground turkey. The products come in several lean/fat proportions.

It’s the second recall to affect Jennie-O’s ground turkey product line since November, when the company recalled more than 90,000 pounds, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The latest recall impacts products manufactured between October 22, 2018 and October 23, 2018. The products have a “Use or freeze by” date of Nov. 12, 2018 or Nov. 13, 2018 on their packaging. The USDA has provided a visual guide to that packaging on its website.

The recall comes as 52 new illnesses associated with the salmonella outbreak were announced. In total, 216 people in 38 states have been sickened since the CDC began tracking in November 2017. Eighty-four people have been hospitalized and one person has died, the agency reports.

The outbreak strain of salmonella “is present in live turkeys and in many types of raw turkey products, indicating it might be widespread in the turkey industry,” the CDC said.

Symptoms of salmonella include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps; the illness can last 7 days, according to the CDC. Severe salmonella can lead to hospitalization or death, especially in children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems.

The CDC advises consumers to handle raw turkey carefully as “raw turkey products can have germs that spread around food preparation areas and can make you sick.” Turkey should be thoroughly cooked before eating to prevent food poisoning, the agency says.

Contributing: The Cincinnati Enquirer and The Associated Press

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